Master of Ministry

Master of Ministry by Module

At SSU, we believe that much of theological education for the past several generations has been better at preparing researchers than spiritual leaders. In the words of Richard John Neuhaus, “What is needed is not the training of religious technicians, but the formation of spiritual leaders.” We agree. In small, highly interactive classes, where people’s real questions and life issues are faced in a caring way, students gradually become the message they want to convey. This process is greatly enhanced by our focus on Ignatian Spiritual Formation—classes in prayer that lead to personal self-awareness for the sake of serving others. We are dipping into many fountains, both ancient and contemporary, from many parts of the Christian Church, to prepare healthy and authentic leaders for the future.

The successful completion of the Master of Ministry program requires a total of 42 credit hours composed of:

internship for students who do not have at least five years of professional ministry experience (six additional credit hours)

Modules

Modules are two-week intensive study periods that include courses in church history, theology, Biblical studies, Christian counselling, and methods of prayer in the Ignatian tradition. Students are generally required to read about 3,500 pages before each module and will have written assignments to complete before and after each module.

The modules are normally offered in this sequence over a two-year period (typically one fall module and one winter module per year), but students may start at any time and may choose to complete the modules at a slower pace and in any order. Sufficient time must be allotted to complete the necessary readings in advance.

The first three modules, taken in classroom seminars, give an overview of church history and introduce students to important classical Christian writings from three different periods. For the fourth module, students participate in a two-week study abroad module in Greece and Turkey OR in Israel. The study–abroad module is designed to familiarize students with the historical and cultural context of the Biblical world, as well as to create a rich experience of community around shared learning experiences.